Concrete mixer



' s ept. 1s, 1930. c. J, WEBER 1,775,983

CONCRETE MIXER Filed June 16, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 16, 1930. c..1. WEBER CONCRETE MIXER Filed June 16 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet Sept. 16,1930. c. J. WEBER 1,775,983

CONCRETE MIXER Filed June 16, 1928 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 f@ Mw, WDM MM Sept.16, 1930. C. J. WEBER CONCRETE MIXER Filed June 16, 1928 '7Sheets-Shea?l 5 KFZ sept. 16, 1930. c, WEBER 1,775,983

CONCRETE MIXER $535 MMI/L w@ sept. 16, 1930.

c. J. WEBER 1,775,983

CONCRETE MIXER Filed June 16. 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 ffm/c T10/v gj/@m@M Mmmm/wm Patented Sept. 16, 1930 UNrrsEn sra'rss earner ermee CHARLSJ. OF CHICAGO, ILINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE'FOOTEGM'PANY, ENC., 0F NUNDA, NEW YORK, A COROl-ATLON OF DELAWARE ccivc'nnfrnMIXER Application filed June 18,

VMy invention relates, generally, to concrete mixers and pavers and moreparticularly to improved means for charging the mixer with aggregate'and water and to improved means sfor controlling the operation of thedischarging means. Y

It is an object of my invention to provide improved means for raisingand lowering the charging skip of concrete mixers and pavers li'inlVwhich the use of wire rope cables has been eliminated. i

'A further object is to provide improved means "for operating thecharging skip which permits of a decrease in the over-all height of themixer. Y

` A'urther object -is to provide an improved means for raising' andlowering the chargingskip of a concrete mixer which is automaticallyheld in raised position and requires the applicationof power t'ov Vlowerit.

` A further object is to provide improved automatic' means forcontrolling admission of water.

further object is to provide improved means for controllingtlieoperation of 'the discharge chute.

Other objects will. appear from the following' description, referencebeing had to i the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Fig. l is a sideelevation of a concrete mixer which shows, generally, the improvementsof "my invention; 4

` Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the chargingend of the concrete mixershowing the charging skip in elevated position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the charging end of the mixer showingparticularly a por tion of' the means utilized to control the operationof `the discharge chute;

AFig. 4: is anelevation of the side opposite Fig. 3 showing particularlythe means for controlling the admission of water;

Fig; 5 is an elevation of a portion of the ni`eans used to control theoperation of the discharge chu-te;

Fig: 6 is avpersp'ective view of the clutch and gearing mechanismutilized to operate the charging skip;

Fig; 7 is a some-what diagrammatic plan 1923. Serial ITo. 285,991.

view of the gearing utilized in raising and lowering the charging skip;I

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the reversing clutch mechanism for raisingand lowering 'the charging skip; and

F ig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9-9 ot' Fig. 7and showing particularly the charging skip elevating clutch knock-outmechanism.

In the past it has been common practice to utilize cables, usually oneattached to each side of the charging skip, to raise and lower the same.This method of operating the charging skip has serious disadvantages inthat the over-all height of the mixer is greatly increased due to thenecessity of having elevated cable sheaves or winding drums placed somedistance above the top of the mixer.

The superstructure necessary to hold these sheaves or winding drums mustfrequently be dismantled to permit the mixer to be shipped by railroadand to permit it to pass beneath bridges and other obstructions over thehighway; rihe dismantling and reassembling of the su l erstrncturc notonly consumes a great amount oli time, but occasionally, due to therelatively unskilled labor commonly employed for this type of work, thesuperstructure is not assembled properly.

Furthermore, the wire rope or cables employed in raising the chargingskip rapidly wear out in use, requiring frequent replacement andconsequent loss duringrthe time which the machine is necessariiy idlewhile making such replacements. In some instances, the cables break,permitting the charging skip to fall. The falling of the charging' skiphas in the past resulted in a number of serious and several fatalinjuries to the workmen. in the construction which I have invented Ihave entirely eliminated the use of cables Jfor hoisting the chargingskip and have provided skip elevating means which automatically preventthe charging skip from falling. The improvements of my invention areparticularly adapted for use in the Foote concrete pavers but withsuitable slight changes may reaffily be incorporated in any concretemixer or paver.

1 io c Y v end ofthe drumand is adapted to guide the*l i Referring toFigs. and 6, ythe paver voom-v 'Y rihe miXer includes the usual rotarymixing drum 16 mountedfor 'rotation' upon trunnion rollers 18, thedrum'beingrotated-by one or l more drivingr pinions 22 which are in meshwithringgears sccuredtoithedrum. A

charging spout 24 is mounted at theV charging aggregateinto the drum. A;charging skip` Means for raising and lowering the charg-y ing skip cThejmixenis driven vbyan engine or motor l VOwhich, asrepresentedinFig;7, isfcon-` nectedthrougli a suitable gearspeed reduc-v tion mechanismto a drive shaft 32. The Vshaft 32 (Figs, 6l and z7 has adrive gear'34and a sprocket-36 non-rotatably secured thereto.y The drive gear34meshes witha driven gear 38 which is normallyfreely rotatable uponlfakcgmntershfaft 40 and ris formed integral with alg aplate`48, thesprocket and plate being-freely i rotatablefuponjtheshaft 40., f A

The plate 48, together witha similar plate i jandlafvfrictiondisc'52,Yform a. friction clutch, theplate 50rhavin-g a hub kk51 with a The endof the'hub;listaperedso asto'be adapted'toengage'clutch fingers 62andthereby ,operate-the friction clutchy containedwithc inthehousing 42.The hubv 51 is keyed to the i shafti- Oand thus is adapted to form adriving iowereag By manga@ link ce', ai@ Shaft ea `5^5ywillbeoscilla'tedY clockwise (Fig 9) lsol as vto connection betweeneither y.thel vclutch housing 4 2 or the plate 48 andtheshaft,.depending uponwhether isthrown to the right or the securedthereto,alink 66'beingpivotally connected `attheend vof the arm. lTheupper endofthe'link 66 is connected Vto ais'uitable op-l eratingihandlev` whereby it ymay be Vraised or throwfin the `clutch within' the*housing 142,- whereasl when thelink'66 .is opera-ted down# 'Y Y wardIy,itr will rrotate the shaft 6 0 counter: clockwise and throw in thefriction clutch 484.52%50. '111 y y 3.` j

The endof the shaft carries an arm 68', at the end of whicha linkispivotally con- I xnected.:l As' vwill hereinafter appear, the link' '7 0ismoved to the leftV (Figs. 7 and 9) ast-he charging skip reaches itsuppermost position,

Y 1,775,983 l A IThe usual steel ries a spur-gear 80;',y The spur-gear8O meshes -1 with a pinion 82keyed on ashaftl jfllhef f shaft 84carriesa1w'0r1n86whichisin engage-k' nientjwitha worm? wheel y88,gthe-'latterbeing "keyed toashaft 90.-V 'A pair of pinions 92 andv Y 26 ispivoted'at28 in bracketssuitably' se-- 1 'oured'to the frame of themachine. f

94 is keyed -to the' ends `of the shaft 90. AThe worm and worm wheelare'preferably'mount' A pair of elevating'arms198,99

thereby to disengage the clutch within the Y housing 42; l1 Y '-f Y Thecountershaft '40 has Vasprocket 72se- 'LS-keyedat: the ends of a shaft`1Q() which is; Arotatably mounted in :suitable bea-ring?fbrackets''162.vSpur-'gear teeth` `104, 'eut atthefher/ends. Of! the arms 98,599, formsegmental gearsfwhich are in meshwith-the pinions-92and 9 4', re; i.

spectiveiy The outer endsjofthe` arms 98,3992 carry; a vbail rod 106.Links ,108,2 pivotally. i `'connected togbrackets'llOvboltedj or,lrivetedetoaj the charging skip', have elongatedjSlLjSf 112 Q formed'at-.their lower-ends,- these slotsreceivv k.ing thebailrodjorshaftr106.Suitable collars? f 114 on the shaft 106 prevent'lateralmovement` of thelinks. i' f .The kPLTQHQQ has apin 116e.iggflg'lg,SigellY f Yward-lytherefromwhich adapted, Strybel` .n p charging skipappponches'.itsuppemostPQ*1r`r L sitionfto contact'with theuppervefnd ofafle-g j i ver118 which is pivoted at 1 19andsw-ing it.;

the skip'elevating l Y Disc/argc chutecontrollngjmechanism It isdesirable', machinesvofthisl kind, to i' vprovide means for insuringthat the "discharge i chute isi in noil-discharging'.vv positiony iasVthe chargingskip reaches its velevated or 'charg- W ing position, andif the discharge'fc'hute' h apl pens to be in.dischargingposition,,2'u1tomatif vcally to move it .'to non-'discharging position 1 asthecharging skip ifs'be'ing'elevate'dgl have f provideda simplemechanismforaccoinplish-V `ing. thSpuEpOse-r. i, f l t jAcamplate-120isfsecured-to'thepinion-921:Y i and is adaptedto'engage:arollerpini122r carried at theend o fone armof'a,bellcrankleven 1" 124,-the latterlbeing,pivotallyffmounted"in @bracket126 secured to the frame offthe machine. Dur-ing the*y initialelevatingmove Y ment of thecharging skip', the cam plate -120 engagesthe roller pin 122'andswings thezbell l crank 124counter'clockwise (Fig.thereby` moving lupwardly a rod 128 which Vis pivotal# ly connected tothe other armof the bell crankA lever upper end of the rod 1 28 is iso Ycounterclockwise '(Fig. 3);,thereby rnoving Q v a@1mm@aerialme..e @timeg (Figs. 7 and 9). itspreviouslydescribed-.5v

Asuch movement oftheelink 'Olwillthrow, out

pivotally connected: to the 'end-of an arm 130 which is keyed to ashaftl132. f

The end ofthe shaft 132- has a bevel gear 134 keyed thereto, the lattermeshing with asimilarvbe'v'el gear 136 secured tothe end of a shaft 138.It will thus be seen that through the above described connections, the'shaft 138 will be rotated clockwise (Fig. 5),

when the charging skipV is being elevated and, as willV hereinafterappear, the discharge chute is in discharging position.

it L

An arm 140 (Fig. 5) is attached to the end of the shaft 138' oppositethe bevel gear 136, the end of this arm being pivotally connected to alink 142 which at its lower end is pivotally connected to one end of alever 144 which is suitably pivoted to the stationaryframe at 146.

A spring 147, anchored to the frame at one end and to the end of the arm140 at the other, normally tends to hold the parts in' the positionshown in Fig. 5.

The end of the lever 144 lies between stop pins 148 and150 which aresecured upon a link 152. The link 152 connects the end oifan arm 154with an arm 156. The arin 154'is keyed to a shaft 158 to which a handoperating lever is also keyed.l The arm 156 is keyed to a shaft 162which also carries y i an arm 164', at the endvof which a roller 166 isrotatably` mounted. The roller 166 is adapted to 4drop into one of twonotches 168 formed in a -d'ru1n'170, the drum 170 being a part of aplanetary gear train which is more ullydisiclosed and described inthe ispivotally connected to an adjustable operating rod 184. The other end'of the latter is pivotally joined to a rotatably mounted ldischargechute frame 186 which carries the discharge chutev 188. j

A cable 189 of flexible wire rope, connects the end of arm 174 of thebell crank 176 i (ic-- with the end of arm V140 for a purpose as willhereinafter more fully appear.

As willl more fully appear from the afore- 1' saidpatent, clockwisemovement (Fig. 5) of the arin 156 will raise the roll-er 166 out of itsnotch and at the-saine time tighten the brake band 190 which will serveto connect the power drive to rotate thepdrur'n 170 and hence lower thelink 178 and thereby move the discharge chute to; discharging position.As soon as the drum has rotated through any angle of degrees, the roller166 will drop into the opposit-e'notch 168V and thereby release tensionon the brake band and disengage the power drive connection.

Water control mechanism As more fully disclosed in the patent to Foote,No. 1,590,359, granted June 29, 1926, the mixer is provided with a watertank 192 and a three-way valve 194. This valve is adapted to be openedby raising a link 196 which at its lower end is connected to an arm198.` The arin 198 has a sidewardly projecting ear 200 and the long arm202 of a bell crank lever 204 has a similar sidewardly extending lug 206formed integrally therewith. lugs and a spring 210 is compressed betweenthe lugs, thus forming a cushioning buffer between the arms 198 and 202.

The arm 202 has one end of a spring 212 secured thereto, the other endof the spring being suitably anchored to the frame of the machine. Thebell crank lever 204 has a short arm 214 having a pin and rolier 216which is adapted to engage the flanged sui'- race oi? a cani plate 218which is rigidly secured to the elevating arm 98.

As the arm 98, and hence the charging skip, approaches its' uppermostposition, the surface vof the cam 218 will engage the roller and pin 216and swing the bell cra-nk lever 204 clockwise about its, pivot 220,thereby through the buffer connection raising the link 196 and openingthe three-way water valve to permit flow of water from the tank 192 intothe drum.

Operation v Assuming the charging skip to be in its lowermost positionand a. charge having been loaded therein, the operator will raise 98,99. The arms 98, 99 will thus be moved counterclockwise (Figs. 1 and 4)and after taking up the lost mot-ion due to the elongated slots 112 inthe links 108, will, through the links 108, raise the charging skip.rEhe elongated slots 112 are provided so that the skip may be moveddownwardly to diilerent degrees, depending upon the level of the groundadjacent the mixer.

As the charging skip is beingelevated, it

is desirable, of course, to move the discharge L- chute tonon-discharging position if the chute is not already in that position.This is accomplished through the following train oflin'kagc andgea-ring:

Thev cam 120 on the pinion 92 will, if the A bolt 208 passes betweenthese two L discharge vc hntelis in diseharging'riposition, engage, thepink and roller 122-Qn theffbell.

v crankr124 and move the latterc0nnterolock Wise, raising; the.1ink`x128, osoilletinggthe shaftlSO'clockWise, (Figi. 3) and therebyoscillatingl the shaft 1138 clockwise 5.) Clockwise rotation ofthisshnftwith its nrmjV f v140 `Will depress linkl 142 vand`r` thereby pivot; vyleverlllt about itspivotexisll, reisingl'they lo right-hendend of thislever'until it engages; w the pinf150; `and vthereby; raising they linkfy `'152 Whichiny turn Will operate the power' i fthe sheft 138 in theposition-shown-inFig; VVl/hen'thesepartsfare inl this position, the

bell crank12/lf-Will have been moved counter-Q clockwise to `itsfurthest position so that itspinroller 122Will not'lie yin thepathofcemf plate 12ddischarge mechanism to move the discharge chute tothe non-discharging position shown in Fig 5.V` It, however, `thedischargey chute: is l:already in no'n-discharging` position, 'thespring` 11M'v will' hold the varm 140 andhence When, however, theldischnrgechute*isjin ,Y ,dischargingposition,y as shown in dotted Vlinesiin Fig. 5, theceblelfSQQ-yvillhave been` pulled downwardly, therebyswinging-.the

l When thefchergingskip arm 140 slightlyiclockwise `fend through vtheshaft: 138, bevel gearslfl,134,shaft 132, arm 180, ancliod 1281novingthebell crank clock- Wise so thetits pinlroller' 1.22 lies in thepath,or'the cem 1 2 0 .1A Thns thecablev189iserves as a 'ineans fordetermining. Whether or not thepovver-operted dischgJ-ge .Chute mech'nism shellbe operated, I f .l

thereby opens the threefway vWater vlve 1921:` to 'permit the Water VtooW vinto the Vmixing' drum with theaggregete.

elevated position,.ithe y'pinx116 .onthe arm 99 l engages lever118andthereby moves thelink, `7 0fto theright, etsshowninfFig.l 3,101 totheleft, as shown milliers- 7 and9,' therebyfoscillajtingv the shzift 60connterc'lock'wise and disi engaging the clutch in the honsin-g i12., fDis- V engagement of the clutch 42 results in the disconnection ofthepower tothe charging skip elevating mechanism.

`-The1pitch oftheworm 8 6 and Worm Wheel j issiich that itiisnonfreversiblegthat is, thewveight of theskip end its 'contentsrvill notrotatethewormsha'ftl andthe ship is thus firmly held initsrisedposition. It

`is thus necessary to repplypoyver tothe Worm ina reverse directlon'inorder tolo'Wer the engagement: The drive gvvill then 1 be?fromvment-vvtih thelcamf218 and the bell crank Yrenches its most.

' "witness-5 skip. vThis islncmy )implished'by 'oscilltingthef:v 'i

shaft 60'c'ounterclockyvisje (Figsk-65and' k9) by manually vlowering thelink 66, thereby throwing'.v the friction clutch 4 8-5250lintoz andtlnisdri'ves the viormf6in a direction reverse to' that..whe11. rventhroughithe f Clutch '42 and; will '.thselowerfthe" @berging skip. -Asthe chargingiskipfbegins to be lo` W- -j,. i'

ered, the pin-roller 216'isfreedfrom engage-1;

underthe influence ofthe spring 212therebyg 'f to shntothelthiee-Wy'vvetenvalve, -1 u During' the lowering operetion,` thepinroller122 Will,fof fcourse, be helduoiit'ofthe y l l so thatgtheAdischarge 'chiitejwillfnot be op SeCuli'ebyLetterS Patentsf, f

ehargingfskip, meansorfpositivelygfraijsingjff;V p Yand loweringsaidSliip,:saidmeans including V@driving Pinion;'showenOperetddischarsechute,a cam on lseid pinion, sindmensjnctua-jgv atedsadfcam-tocontroltheoperatonof i r said dischargefchnte.yf g2. In aVmachine of'the-classdesoribedythef combination of "mixingL drnm",;'echargingA skip, means for positively rnisijng end lowfv ering said skip,saidmeensjinolnding a dri v. j Y ing Vpinion; atpoyverj operated.dischargej chute, a cam o n said pinion,` means actuated.

disohargechute fromdischarging to non-dis,

@harsisnositonaemmenefOr-rendering; f y 'gl seid'flast-namedmeensinoperfajtivewhen discharge. chutey is innonfdiseh r tion.

operating. said linkage.

combination mixing drum, 2t pivoted charging skip, pivotellymountedarmsQI'. positively ,raising and lowering seid clungv sof . as path of comp1ate120-byfthespring 147,' 1 Y 1. Inga machine-,of the; clessdeso l 11bb :yfsaid cam to, canse they operationof sai-d combination 'ofafmininglgdriinna;pivotedg Q 4eherging ship ,jpiyotellyginountedermsfforV i positively raising and lofvvering. seid o herg! Y ine-Skin@0m11.911e0eG-0.Sdarme valvel i for@ COetrOl-lnspfh edHSSnpf Wate 110i'zs'aid'rdrum. linkage forrlopemng si@ weve, i and. y-ieldabl'e meansactuated bysnid ca m'y for ing skip, a cam on one of said arms, a valvefor controlling the admission ol water to said drum, yieldable meansactuated by said cam for opening said valve, and resilient means forclosing said valve.

5. In a concrete mixer, the combination of a mixing drum, a chargingskip pivoted relative to said drum, a pivotally-mounted skip raising armhaving its end attached to said skip by a lost motion link connection,an irreversible worm and worm wheel for swinging said arm, a power driveshaft, a clutch for operatively connecting said power drive shaft withsaid worm, and means for disengaging said clutch after said arm reachesa predetermined position, said means including a lever operated by saidarm.

6. In a machine of the class described, a discharge chute, mechanism formoving said discharge chute from charging to non-dis charging position,power means for actuating said mechanism, a manually operable lever forcontrolling said means, a charging skip, and means, operated as anincident to the movement of said charging skipto a predeterminedposition, to control the operation of said power means, comprising alever adapted to be moved by said skip, a spring for holding said leverin normal inoperative position, and a lost motion connection betweensaid lever and said mechanism whereby said lever will be moved intooperative position when said discharge chute is in discharging position.

7. In a machine of the class described, a discharge chute, mechanism foroperating said discharge chute, power means lor actuating saidmechanism, a manually operable lever for controlling said means, acharging skip, and means, operated as an incident to the movement ofsaid charging skip, to control the operation of said power means,comprising a cam operated when said skip is operated, a. follower, aspring for holding said follower out of the path of the cam, and aflexible connection between said follower and said mechanism wherebysaid follower will be moved into the path of said cam when saiddischarge chute is in discharging position.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a mixingdrum, a pivoted. charging skip, means for positively raising andlowering said skip, said means including a driving shaft and pinion; a.power operated discharge chute, and means movable with said drivingshaft to control the operation of said discharge chute.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a mixingdrum, a pivoted charging skip, pivotally mounted arms for positivelyraising and lowering said charging skip, a valve for controlling theadmission of water to said drum, a linkage for operating said valve, andyieldable means for operating said linkage, said yieldable means beingactuated by the movement of one of said arms.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of J une,1928.

CHARLES J. VEBER.

IUS

